Producer and visual-effects supervisor John Knoll revealed: "This takes place in a time that's after the Jedi purge in Episode III and before Obi-Wan re-emerges and starts training Luke, and before Yoda gets involved.

"So this is a dark time when things are very bleak and the Jedi have not come back."

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will land in cinemas in the UK on December 15 and in US cinemas on December 16.